


cherry flavored conversations :: dreamnotfound

by mteczon14



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: Coffee Shop, College, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Parties, Slow Burn, city, midnight train rides, only a little, up at ungodly hours of the night
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:27:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29604549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mteczon14/pseuds/mteczon14
Summary: he's there every morning, every night. there to keep him company, talk about nothing, share a coffee ... or maybe a cherry flavored conversation. they've fallen so hard, and everyone knows but them.pretty vague summary, but you get the idea :]
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Niki | Nihachu/Wilbur Soot
Comments: 18
Kudos: 36





	1. fire pit

**Author's Note:**

> first chapter! lowercase is intended. the perspectives will be noted at the beginning of each chapter. this is my first story, so feel free to leave any constructive criticism if needed! my mom's an english teacher, so i have some hope. hope you enjoy :]

nick pov

the fire crackled and hissed as the glowing embers began to dim. nick sat comfortably in a fold-up chair, a small brunette boy curled in his lap. nick absentmindedly ran his hand through the auburn hair that lay close to his chest, his other wrapped loosely around the boy’s waist. chatter could be heard from around the circle, but he wasn’t paying much attention. instead, he was gazing down at karl, who smiled and laughed at something he did not care to hear. suddenly, karl looks up to him. nick smiles, taking in the crooked grin that was plastered on the brunette’s face. he had light blue eyes and freckles that scattered across his nose and cheeks. a warm feeling rose in nick’s chest. he was whipped. so whipped.

nick finally decides to enter the conversation, breaking eye contact with karl to peer around the fire.

“...and then we ran. we ran so fast, holy shit! i didn’t even glance back when i saw the red and blue lights flashing on the walls!”

tommy was standing, his strikingly blue eyes wide as he explained the story with a heavy british accent. his blonde hair flopping over his forehead and the red and white crew neck he wore was illuminated by the orange glow of the fire. he wiped his hands on the back of his dark blue jeans, turning to stare at tubbo for confirmation.

the smaller boy was sitting next to him on a sturdy log. he returned tommy’s stare with a soft gaze as he goes to respond.

“oh, yes. that was probably the most intense moment in my life. i don’t think i’ve ever ran that fast before,” tubbo, or toby, exclaims as he adjusts the fit of his dark green hoodie. nick recalls the time, not too long ago, he received a text from the brunette that sat beside tommy. the senior in highschool messaged a the whole group, but signed himself as ‘tubbo’ instead of ‘toby.’ despite it being a simple mistake due to his dyslexia, no one let him live it down, and he soon accepted it.

“tommy, what were you even doing at that party in the first place?” wilbur questions. he sat down awkwardly on one of the circling logs due to his height. he had an arm wrapped around niki, a pink haired girl that nick had been friends with for years. she looked tiny compared to the towering man beside her. he noticed wilbur’s hoodie was now engulfing the girl as she laid her head on his shoulder. they were together, even if it took almost a year of convincing them both that the feelings weren’t just one-sided. after dating for another half of a year, they moved into an apartment together, leaving nick without a roommate.

but that was turning out to be ok since he met karl, one of the neighbors, shortly after wilbur moved out. let’s just say, it made nick and karl’s relationship a lot more enjoyable now that nick had an empty apartment all to himself.

“it was a party, will! what do you expect me to do on a friday night, stay at home with tubbo and play boardgames? do you take me for a pussy?” tommy shoots back.

tubbo looks up from beside him, “but tommy, i do enjoy playing board games.”

“not now tubbo! we’re men, we can go to parties and get chased by the police!”

nick chuckles and continues to gaze around. he spots ranboo and alex, both in the middle of their own conversation. to the left of them, he sees clay and george.

nick met george years ago in sixth grade. he hated him at first and thought he was some stuck up, know-it-all british kid. but they were eventually partnered together for a biology project and nick soon realized all of his assumptions were incredibly wrong. george was a timid, quiet british kid who couldn’t muster up enough self-confidence to save his life. they became friends and stuck together through the rest of middle school. when they reached high school, things got, well, complicated.

nick made the spontaneous decision to try out for football. george made it obvious that he wouldn’t be accompanying nick for this, but showed his support regardless. nick made the team and dragged george to all of his games and parties, claiming he ‘needed his best friend’s support.’ george, of course, agreed and started to grow considerably close to the team, especially the school’s prodigy quarterback, clay. nick watched as george and clay connected, their bond seeming to grow after each interaction. soon enough, they became a trio of sophomores and did their best to survive the epic highs and lows of high school.

however, the flirtatious moments and flustered faces didn’t go unnoticed by nick. he would observe as clay openly flirted with george while george did his best to hide the blush that blossomed across his face. everyone assumed and knew that clay didn’t mean any of it and that george just had a flustered personality, but nick saw through that. he saw the fondness in clay’s eyes when he stared at george unknowingly. he saw the smile that would spread across clay’s face when george gained enough confidence and flirted back. even though nick would never confront him, he knew there were real feelings there, and he was almost positive that george returned them.

nick experienced the first ‘more than friends’ moment junior year. they were at a party and everyone was drinking, even george. a large group of people sat in a circle, deciding to play some combination of truth or dare and spin the bottle. clay spun the bottle, landing it on george.

_‘truth or dare, georgie?’ clay smirked._

_george, clearly more drunk than he intended to be, responded, ‘dare.’_

_‘i dare you to kiss me.’_

_everyone in the circle was taken aback. they knew these two would endlessly flirt, but clay has never been this bold and forward before. even george in his drunken state looked a little surprised._

_‘huh?’ george managed to mumble, face radiating a shade of pink._

_‘i said kiss me, georgie,’ clay pushed. he got up and sat in front of george, placing a hand on his cheek. ‘can i?’_

_george hesitantly nodded, then began to lean forward. everyone in the circle sat in shock, eyebrows raised and mouths hung slightly open. sure enough, they kissed. it didn’t last long, just a peck. they parted and the circle erupted in applause and cheers._

_‘i thought you guys were straight,’ asked some guy nick couldn’t bother to remember._

_‘we are,’ george simply stated. clay nodded in agreement, though nick saw the spark of disappointment in his eyes._

now they sat, side by side, shoulders touching, on a dark brown log in front of a fire. they weren’t talking, just sitting in the middle of the conversation that went on around them.

nick never mentioned the romantic interactions and never pushed either to tell him about it. he knew they would have to figure it out themselves, even if it took longer than niki and will.

he pushes these thoughts aside and snuggles closer to karl, enjoying the heat that radiated from the brunette’s body. the stars were glistening above him, and he just stares at them as the chatter around him dies down to a peaceful silence.


	2. the early shift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> clay starts his early shift at the coffee shop, waiting for a special brunette to pay him a visit.

clay pov

clay can’t breathe. he inhales sharply, no air filling his lungs. panic overcomes him as he lifts his hands to his face, grasping for what was blocking him from breathing. fur.

he peels his cat, patches, off his face and draws in a heavy breath. the clock on the wall reads 3:30am. he sighs and swings his legs off the bed, his feet meeting the icy floor that covered his room. shuffling to the shower, he lets out a yawn and stretches his arms over his head.

clay showers quickly and dresses in comfortable clothes for his long shift. he wanders to a mirror, observing his white crewneck and brown cargo pants. _mmm good enough._ he bends over and laces white shoes on his feet. well, white was generous, they were closer to brown. that’s what not owning a car and having to skate all around the city will do to them.

he ruffles his damp hair as he makes his was down the stairs. stopping by the fridge to grab food, he pulls out his phone, noticing notifications that bring butterflies to his stomach. george.

**gogy**

clay

clay

hello

well i guess u fell asleep lol

i just wanted to say goodnight i guess

and ill stop by the coffee shop tmrw if u want

**delivered 11:29pm**

**clay**

good morning gogy

im heading to the shop rn so

come over once ur free please

i miss you

**delivered 4:32am**

clay sighed and turned to walk out the front door. he passed his younger sister’s room to see a peaceful lump in the middle of her bed. he grabbed a sticky note and jotted a few words, pressing it on her door.

_leftover pancakes in the fridge. ill be home sometime after 8. love you._

with that, he stepped outside into the crisp autumn air. a black backpack was hanging over his shoulders as he dropped a skateboard to the cement, pushing forward and gliding down the vacant street. the sun wasn’t up, so the only form of light was coming from the harsh streetlights that lined the sidewalk.

clay’s mind began to wander, as it always did during his ride to the subway. he wasn’t surprised when he began to think about his brunette friend.

george. his laugh. his eyes. his hair. his lips. they were always glazed with that chapstick he uses, some red brand. clay began to wonder what it would be like, just to connect his lips to george’s, like that time junior year…

 _it’s not happening._ but why not? _he doesn’t like you_. he gets so flustered when i flirt with him, though. _yea, you’re embarrassing him, and you need to stop._ but he flirts back sometimes, why?

his mind wandered further, reminiscing of the late nights him and the brunette would spend together. they would always end with george falling asleep, sometimes cuddling up next to him, if clay was lucky. clay would let him do this, without hesitation, wrapping his arms around the brunette then preceding to dose off himself. the mornings after seemed to have a some sort of a pattern as well. clay would wake up before george, but not move due to fear of waking him, and the pleasure he had with the brunette in his arms. george would eventually wake up, realize who’s arms he’s in, and scramble away blaming it on his drowsiness, clearly embarrassed. clay would chuckle, assuring george that it was fine and he was welcome to sleep in his arms anytime. this would just make george even pinker than he was before.

clay smiled as he arrived at the subway entrance, using his card to get in. he wished george wouldn’t get up in the mornings, sometimes. he wished he would lay there, nuzzling his face into clay’s chest and wrapping his arms around clay’s waist.

 _stop._ but why? _he’s your best friend, you can’t._

clay sighs as he wanders onto a train that leads to the center of the city. the ride is quick and he finds himself skating right up to the coffee shop. it’s empty and karl and ranboo are chatting from behind the counter. clay pushes through the door and is met with warmth from the shop’s heater.

“aye, clay,” alex greets. he’s sitting at the counter, facing the two who are working from behind it. his hair is covered by a navy blue beanie and the hoodie he wears is the same color.

clay gives a small wave as he sets his board on the other side of the counter, “hey alex.”

karl and ranboo leave shortly after clay relieves them from their seven hour shift. niki joins him too as they start a long day of making coffee and warming up pastries for the shop's regulars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short filler chapter. hope you like!


	3. the shift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the brunette shows up :)

clay pov

the day moves slowly as clay and niki work their seemingly endless shift. customers flow in and out of the small shop as alex does his best to entertain his friends behind the counter. 

“y’know, i failed that essay we had the other day,” he sighs, but there was no disappointment shown on his face. 

“how? that was like, the easiest essay we’ve had in that class,” clay laughs. 

“i don’t know, man, it just happened.”

niki chimes in with a grin on her face as she prepared a hot chocolate, “maybe if you actually wrote your essay instead of lyrics for nonexistent songs, you wouldn’t fail…” he voice was soft and laced with a german accent as she chuckled with amusement at her statement. 

“hey, i have to entertain people somehow.”

“mhm sure,” niki giggles as she turns to deliver the steaming drink. 

a bell rings from the other side of shop and the workers turn their heads, expecting another customer. clay feels a smile creep to his face when he recognizes the short brunette who entered the shop. george.

“george!” clay exclaims, grinning widely at him. george returns the smile and opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by a pair who walked in behind him. 

“no ‘hello’ to me or tubbo? dickhead,” tommy accuses, laughing with tubbo as they take their places by alex. 

“mhm, not sorry, george is just superior compared to you guys,” clay laughs. george flushes at the statement, and clay takes pride to that. he liked how easily it was to make his friend flustered, blush, or even crack a smile towards him. he knew why, but hasn’t come to terms with his feelings yet. he liked girls, or he thought so until george came along. 

his thoughts were interrupted by tommy, asking clay if he’s met any hot women recently. the kid was girl crazy, but clay humored him. “sure, sure, but none that would settle for you, tommy.”

“hey, i’d like you to know that i am surrounded by women at parties. tubbo can vouch,” tommy argues. “i mean, what can i say, they can’t resist my manliness.”

everyone laughs at this, but clay look directly at tommy, “they only talk to you cause you know how to skate, dumbass. if you just let your mom drive you or rode a bike to school or something, you would be as womanless as alex.”

“dude, don’t drag me into the high schooler's women obsession.”

clay can hear george giggle and it brings an involuntary grin to his face. he turns to look, catching the brunette with squinted eyes and dimples on each cheek. _cute._

his stare must have lasted longer than he meant for it, because george directs his gaze towards him and waves a hand in his face. “hello? you still there clay?”

clay look away. “yea, yea, sorry.” embarrassing. he didn't think he was caught staring often, and when he was he tried his best to play it off. for some odd reason, lying rolled off his tongue with ease. clay had always been a decent kid, good grades, well-behaved, more mature than most of the guys his age. he never liked to lie, but when he did it was surprisingly believable. no one knew except him, of course, but he took personal pride to it. 

alex left a little after george showed up, needing sleep after spending well over twelve hours at the shop. niki, tommy, and tubbo were immersed in there own conversation, leaving clay and george alone on their side of the counter. having george all to himself was exciting, and he didn’t want to waste a second of it. 

“so, what’re you up to george?”

he hums in response, staring at his computer, “not much, i have this assignment for some computer science class that’s due soon. and you?”

his voice was therapeutic to clay. it was laced with a gentle british accent that didn’t even compare to tommy’s. it was smooth and slipped out of george’s mouth with ease. each syllable was pronounced with precision, and each note was hit perfectly. it resembled a song, maybe, that could provide comfort to someone with just a few whispers. 

“no people in the shop right now, so just talking to you.” 

george glances up, making eyes contact with clay for a second before returning to the device in front of him. eye contact was rare and clay knew that, so he savored every moment the brunette’s auburn eyes met his. 

clay craved george’s full attention. he wasn’t sure why. he didn’t care for nick, or alex, or tommy’s full attention. but george was different, and he’s always wanted george’s attention since they shared that kiss junior year. 

“how long until you finish?” clay asks, leaning over the counter to gaze into george’s eyes. he wouldn’t look up, but clay’s eyes were there in case he ever did. 

“not for a while if you keep distracting me,” george chuckles. 

“oh, i distract you?” clay smirks. this was how he coped. he displayed how he felt through unnoticed teases and jokes. to clay, they were disguised acts of fondness and admiration, but to everyone else they were playful banter that the two have grown accustomed to. 

as clay hoped, he caught george’s attention. the brunette in front of him perked up, a light shade of pink spreading across the cheeks and ears. his eyes flick away from the computer, but not to clay’s eyes. it seemed as if they were observing every inch of the bland marble countertop that rested in front of him.

“w- well yes. you keep talking. how am i supposed to keep focus when you keep talking to me.”

“but george, i want to talk to you. i always want to talk to you.”

if even possible, the brunette went a shade pinker, messing with the strings of his hoodie. clay leaned forward, focus switching from george’s eyes to his lips. he could kiss him. _don’t_. and why? _just don’t_. 

he doesn’t, but maintains the close distance he put them at. george hasn’t noticed though, and continues to stare at the counter. he hasn’t spoken either, too flustered to come up with a manageable answer. 

finally, george lifts an arm to the table and tilts his head up to stare at clay. his heads rests in his hand, squishing his cheek a little from the pressure. “fine, but i’m only talking to you for a bit.”

he was cute, just sitting there staring at clay. clay smiled, navigating to the register to help an incoming customer, but his eyes don’t leave george.

the day continues remarkably fast until two familiar people walk into the shop to let clay and niki off their shift. the sun was setting, leaving pink clouds to scatter the cyan sky. it was beautiful. clay turned to watch as niki and george exit the shop. tommy and tubbo had gone home earlier, needing to get home to their parents before curfew. he watched george walk towards him, that same involuntary smile spreading across his face. 

clay was lucky. him and george had the same train to take in order to reach their apartments. he was glad to have the long walks and subway rides alone with the brunette. niki’s apartment was in the other direction, so she began to stroll along the sidewalk, about to drop her board and skate away. 

clay turned to george, and they began on their own trek to the subway. they could skate, but clay always wanted to walk. he had obvious reasons, but george was left in the dark and just assumed clay was tired from the days work shift. 

the air was chilly and a small breeze picked up seconds after their stroll began. clay had been sneaking small glances at his friend and noticed a small shiver that over took his body. 

“you cold?” he asked.

the brunette responded, “mhm, a little.”

clay thought for a moment, then tossed his arm around george and ran his hand along his arm. george giggled, looking at the floor as he mumbled, “you don’t have to.”

“i don’t. but i want to.” clay cautiously drew him in closer, hoping the brunette would feel a bit warmer. 

they weren’t too far away from the coffee shop, and the street seemed vacant enough. clay didn’t mind if anyone saw, but he knew george had boundaries he kept up for other people. what they didn’t know was that niki was watching their fairly intimate interaction from down the street. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> longer chapter i think, niki pov next B)


	4. you see it too?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> niki has a talk with will.

niki pov

niki had known clay for years. their moms were close, so niki found herself spending more time with the blonde than most people. she was an only child, and always thought of clay as an ‘older brother’ figure. it fitted, considering how overprotective clay became as they began to grow up. anytime she was made fun of, clay was there to tell them off. anytime she found herself being stood up by a ‘date,’ clay would be there to pick her up and spend the night comforting her. she loved him for it.

on the other hand, she met george freshman year of high school. nick was hosting a party after a friday football game, a weekly celebration regardless of if they won or not. the football team and cheerleading squad were mandatory attendees, so niki, being the freshman cheer captain, always found herself in the chaotic and crowded house. at this party she had gotten sick and was stuck in the bathroom for most of it, but eventually felt hands holding her hair back as she emptied the consumed alcohol into the toilet. she turned her head to find an empathetic brunette softly smiling back at her. he took her home and they stayed in touch. she got as close to george as nick had gotten to him, but in the course of a year. nick was hurt that george let niki in so quickly, but soon understood when he met the sweet and caring cheer captain.

so when niki stood outside the coffee shop, gazing down the vacant street, she was flooded with foreign thoughts that she never even realized she should be considering. running a hand through her hair, she sighed and began the quick journey back to her apartment. she’d talk to will about this. maybe he’ll know.

upon arrival, she pulls out her keys and begins to push the door open, welcomed by warm light positioned in the corner of the wide room. arms wrap around her and her vision is obstructed by something - someone - tall.

she lets a giggle out, “hey will.”

“hey, i missed you.” he dips his head and rests it on top of niki’s, planting a gentle kiss along the way. they stay like that for a moment, their moods lightening as they embraced each other in the doorway of their apartment. slowly separating, niki gazes around their quaint home. it was an open space with a couch placed in the middle facing a flat-screen tv, full-length windows lining a majority of the walls. this allowed a great view of the city, with small bundles of lights shining through the glass. at different times of the day, it would project gorgeous displays of sunrises and sunsets. a cramped, blue colored kitchen was off to the right, the stainless steel of their fridge reflecting the city’s glow. she peered through a second doorway on the left into their room. it, just like the rest of the living space, was small. there was enough room for a bed and two dressers, along with a singular desk and will’s guitar. niki smiled at the sight, completely happy with how she was living.

will pulled the door closed behind them and secured the locks that lined the doorframe. niki wandered into their room, quickly slipping off her work clothes and changing into something more comfortable, that being will’s hoodie and a pair of sweats, of course. she stepped back into the airy space and glanced at will, “will, i think i need to talk to you about something.”

his eyes shot up, worry sparking inside of them. “is everything ok? are you alright?”

“yes, i’m fine. it’s, well, about clay and george.”

his face softens and the worry slowly trickles into understanding. “i have an idea about where this is going.” niki was surprised, to say the least. how could will be making the same assumptions as she was? was it that obvious? he must have spotted her shocked face, for he began to drag her into their room, tugging her down onto the bed with him. she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, focusing on his even heartbeat. he did the same, securing his arms around her shoulders and nuzzling his head into her hair.

“tell me about it, niki,” he hums, rubbing comforting circles into her shoulders.

and she does. she tells him about the intimate moment on the street. she tells him about the prolonged eye contact during conversations. she tell him about how their contact lingers, neither of them pulling away after an extent of time. about how clay’s eyes brighten up when george enters the coffee shop. how george flushes at every compliment clay gives him. how clay smiles when he makes george flush. how clay’s eyes tend to stray away from george’s eyes and slide to his lips. how they always seemed disappointed when someone would interrupt their private conversations. it isn’t until she’s said everything that she realizes. how did she know this? was it weird, how she seemed to be paying close attention to clay and george’s interactions? she let will in on her concerns.

“no, it’s not weird. clay has been your best friend since, what, you were born? i recall your high school stories. you mentioned he became overprotective of you, right?” niki nods her head and will continues. “well, it seems your becoming overprotective of him now. you’re scared george might hurt him, considering how much clay has opened up to him. this just led you to observe them a little more, pay closer attention to their interactions, if you will.”

it made sense, but there was still something that left a gap in the story. “what about their relationship?” will sits for a moment, contemplating what the appropriate response should be.

“it seems they’re going to have to figure it out themselves. i don’t believe either of them have spoken about their true feelings, platonic or not, but we shouldn’t force them to decide or voice how they feel if they aren’t ready. i think we all know that there’s something more to their so-called ‘friendship,’ but i don’t think it’s wise to confront them about something so personal.” will sighs and leans closer to niki, saying this last part in a barely audible whisper, “i’m glad you talked to me instead of them. i don’t know what that could have triggered if you brought up the possibility of them being more than friends when they’re still trying to discover things for themselves. i’m proud of you.”

niki smiles, tightening her grip around the brunette’s torso. she was relieved that she didn’t mess anything up between her two friends. as much as she wanted to know, she knew she’d have to wait until they were ready. she thinks back to her interactions with will before they admitted to everything. the flutters in her stomach when will smiled at her. the blush that rose to her cheek when he complimented her. the joy she had during their private skate trips around the city. the bliss she felt when they watched the sun set on the roof of some building she couldn’t even remember anymore, will’s arm around her shoulders. it brought up a feeling that was already there, but made it more vibrant, more noticeable. niki knew the feeling all too well. love.

_they sat in a bookstore, just down the street from the coffee shop she would soon work at. will sat next to her, too drawn into the book in his hands to feel her curious gaze directed towards him. they’d been friends for years, growing considerably closer over the past summer. she liked him, she knew that, but never thought he would return the feelings. finally sensing the pair of eyes on him, he glances up and smiles._

_“this book reminds me of you.”_

_she peered at the book, and let a soft gasp escapes her lips when she read the title. it was her favorite novel. not just her favorite novel, but her favorite romance novel._

_“can i read it to you?” he questions, a soft look in his eye._

_niki is blushing at this point, directing her gaze towards her hands as she whispers a soft, “of course.”_

_he begins. his accent blends beautifully with the author’s chosen words. he steals glances above his thin framed glasses every once and while, causing niki’s blush to deepen in shades of pink. this was the moment. it was the moment niki first felt it. a warm feeling of fondness, admiration, trust, and euphoria that intoxicated her train of thought. it was love._

_it was a new feeling, and it scared her. she lived with these feelings for months, too scared of ruining her friendship to act on how she felt._

she wondered how clay felt. did he feel how niki felt all those months of hiding her true feelings, scared to ruin what she already had? was he scared that he did like george as more than a friend, but was too scared of losing him to act upon it? did george feel the same way?

she so desperately wanted to reach out to clay and assure him that she was there, that he wasn’t alone. but she couldn’t. he was probably already struggling with enough self conflict and didn’t need to worry about his closets friends catching onto his actions. he needed space for self discovery, and that’s what niki was determined to give him.

the couple laid there in a comforting silence, letting the seriousness of the conversation die down. niki fought to keep her eyes open, eventually giving in and welcoming sleep with open arms, glad to finally understand her friend’s situation a little better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keep missing streams cause my friends force me to leave the house. like, i'm five streams behind :( oh well, niki chapter! i really liked writing this one and i'm gonna try to add her into this story a lot more.


	5. five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another night at the skatepark.

nick pov

the sun was slowly descending, leaving behind vibrant hues of pink, orange, and purples. they streaked across the sky, like a paintbrush haphazardly skimming over a blank canvas. the night was chilly and small specks of light were slowly becoming visible in the dark parts of the sky. the sound of wheels against concrete could be heard from all angles, scraping over a metal ramp at some points. nick wobbled for a moment, gaining his balance as he comes to a stop in front of a cute brunette.

“you almost ran into me,” he giggles, bouncing out of the way and avoiding nick’s contact.

“i did not.” nick caught him, pulling him into a tight embrace. they stumbled around for a moment, finally sitting side by side on a concrete curb.

nick leans over, wrapping an arm around the brunette’s shoulders and tips his head towards his ear. “you look really pretty right now, jacobs.” karl flushes as he turns his head away, mumbling something about nick being ‘full of shit.’ nick grins at this, planting a kiss on the boy’s cheek as he directs his attention to an incoming voice.

“get a room, assholes!” alex heads towards them, dragging along tommy and ranboo.

“the pda is getting out of hand,” tommy mutters as he takes a seat next to nick.

ranboo laughs, “sure tommy, at least they can get into a relationship.” it takes a moment for him to process, but when he does, a look of shock take place in the blonde’s eyes.

“ok, ranboo, i don’t see you with a _gerlfriend_ either.”

nick lets out a chuckle as he looks around, seeing that someone was missing. he recalls niki and will claiming they would be staying in tonight, and spots clay and george on the other side of the park. _where was tubbo?_

“hey tommy, where’s tubbo.”

the senior stares at him for a moment before replying, “he has an english essay due tomorrow. you know how he struggles with those, so he stayed home tonight. i’m meant to go over soon to proofread or whatever he still needs.”

nick nods. tommy was surprisingly helpful when it came to tubbo and school. he was usually a pretty immature kid, but when the brunette ever asked for help, tommy seemed to pull himself together. it was good. tubbo needed the support in school at times and tommy needed every ounce of maturity he could muster up.

the conversation carries on around nick, but his eyes are trained on a pair of his friends standing a distance away by a fluorescent light. the blonde and brunette were standing close, clay gazing into george’s tilted away face. clay was gripping george’s forearms as the brunette balanced on a skateboard. the blonde was speaking, directing george through something as he nods. george suddenly glances up towards clay, making eye contact that highlights a pink color on clay’s cheeks. george lifts his board off the ground, himself with it. clay, still flustered by the sudden eye contact, is dragged to the floor when george’s board slides out from under him after it connects with the ground. they topple over, clay landing on top of george with his hands on either side of george’s shoulders. they sit like this for a moment, much longer than nick and clay would have stayed if they were thrown in that position. _so much for ‘just friends,’ idiot._

nick thinks back to the conversations where he hinted at clay liking george as more than a friend, but they always ended with clay giving some sappy speech on how he was glad george was his friend and he wouldn’t be where he was today without him. if clay saw the hint and lied or if it went completely over his head, nick would never know. all he knew was that he never wanted to put pressure on clay to make a decision about who he likes, his best friend or not. hopefully he figures it out soon, the sexual tension between them is increasing at a sickening pace.

nick adverts his eyes, turning his attention towards ranboo and tommy’s argument over which of their teachers were shittier. clay and george join them, forming a circle as they converse over the nothing until the sun sets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another filler, i should probably try to get more into the plot lol. next chapter will be longer :)


	6. a new feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> george and clay have a moment at the skatepark, a moment that brings back a memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a one-time trigger warning: this chapter does have a nosebleed so if blood bothers you, i can give a quick summary in the end notes. this chapter is a little jump back to the george and clay's interaction that nick sort of described last chapter.

george pov

the night was crisp, harsh lights reflecting off the glossy concrete that sloped unevenly throughout the park. groups were scattered about, either deep in conversations or giggling at light-hearted jokes. a familiar group is seen by a curb, a few high schoolers and college students taking a break from attempting unrealistic skating stunts. george, on the other hand, was balancing on his own board. firm and warm hands were gripping his forearms as he stared at his feet that were shakily rolling back and forth.

“just over exaggerate the bend in your legs and the force you use to push off the ground. that should give you enough time to flick the board into a couple flips, you know?”

george understood, so he glanced up, making rare eye contact with the blond that stood above him. george was aware that clay’s eyes were usually trained on him, probably to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid or look away from the board at a bad time. 

the color that peeked through the blond’s cheeks caught george’s attention, but he glanced down and prepared for the jump before he could think much of it. he bends his legs, taking in a deep breath as he adjusts his footing. using all the force his body could muster, he pushes off the ground and taps the tail slightly, watching as it spiralled through the air. the board connects evenly with the ground - but his foot lands too far to the right and the board rolls out from under him, gliding across the downhill slope that was next to them. he squeezes his eyes shut, the contact that him and clay kept was forgotten as he felt himself tumble on the concrete, something heavy landing on top of him. he feels an ache in his elbow, but that is pushed to the back of his thoughts when he releases the tension from his eye lids and gazes at the blond who was situated above him. clay exhales, leaving a warm sensation that tingles on george’s cheeks as goosebumps began to dance their way to the surface. then they made eye contact.

george hated eye contact. it made him uneasy, like someone was reading him as if he were an open book. it was a breach of privacy and always sparked uncomfortable feelings that would bother the brunette for hours, making him assume the worst. did he look bad? was there something on on his face? could they just see through him, eyeing all of the insecurities that the brunette attempted to stow away? he was never sure and never wanted to know, choosing to direct his eyes onto others only if necessary.

but clay’s emerald eyes were mesmerizing, shining from the glowing lights that floated above. they were complimented by long, dark lashes that naturally curved upward, fluttering after every blink. freckles scattered his cheeks and over his smoothly rounded nose, faded due to the lack of the summer sun. his pink lips were slightly parted, straight, white teeth peeking through the space. his skin looked smooth, the perfect tan being interrupted by the rapidly spreading blush that rose past the surface. his wavy, golden hair flopped over his forehead, threatening to dip low enough to obstruct his vision.

george was left in awe by how much detail he could recognize in his best friend’s features, never noticing the small attributes that were highlighted in this moment. it made him feel fuzzy, or some sort of a feeling that he’s never felt before. heat rushed to his cheeks when clay wouldn’t move, keeping his hand on either side of george’s shoulders and their legs pressed firmly together. they were so close. too close.

george clears his throat and squirms underneath clay, trying to escape the close proximity that buzzed between them. the blond’s eyes widen when he seems to suddenly notice their positions, quickly scrambling off the brunette and mumbling an apology. george sat for a moment, examining the flustered state he seemed to submerge clay in. it wasn’t often that he got noticeably embarrassed, george only spotting clay’s foreign body language for the first time during a late night they spent together over the previous summer.

_george was slouched on his couch, an uninteresting movie flashing colors across the room. clay picked it out, but was quick to excuse himself just a half hour into it. he’s been gone a while, but george chalked it up to an upset stomach or something of the sorts._

_that’s when he heard something coming from the bathroom clay was locked in, stuff being knocked over and cabinets being shuffled through. curiosity got the better of george as he stood up from the couch, making his way to the door._

_he knocked. ‘clay, you good?’ a sigh was heard from the the other side and the lock clicked, acknowledging that george was allowed in. he chewed the inside of his cheek, scared of why clay was acting so strange._

_he pushed forward, revealing a fairly normal bathroom. he disregarded the opened cabinets and knocked over soap bottles, turning his attention to the blond that sat on his bathroom counter, a bundle of toilet paper pressed to his nose. loose sheets of the paper were scattered around, stained with a crimson color that must have been dripping from his nose._

_‘uh, sorry. i was looking around for a bag to put the tissues in, and kinda made a mess.’_

_george ignored clay’s awkward apology, shuffling towards him and resting his thighs against the counter that was exposed between the blondes dangling legs. he brought a hand up to the bundle of toilet paper, pulling it away from his face. the position george had situated them in flew completely over his head, but did the exact opposite for clay. blood was smeared around his face, a new stream trickling out of his nose. the flustered feelings that were blatantly obvious encouraged a tint of pink to join the liquid red on the blond. george noticed, wondering if clay was warm or if the blood leaking from his nose forced a flush to spread across his cheeks._

_he gripped a clean wad of toilet paper, gently dabbing away the blood around his nose. the color on the blond’s cheeks deepened, and it made george worry._

_‘clay you look warm. are you? i can turn the ac on if you’d like.’_

_the blond's eyes widen and his chest stops moving. ‘what makes you say that?’ he mumbles in an almost inaudible whisper._

_‘well, you’re cheeks are all flushed.’_

_george hasn’t yet met the blond's gaze, just focussing on the bottom half of his face to clean the nosebleed. he is surprised that it’s almost involuntary when his eyes move up to meet the blond's. the green irises are already trained on him, but they glance down when george completes the other side of the contact. clay is staring at his lap as he whispers, ‘you’re just so close.’_

_george’s jaw slackens, his mouth forming a small gap between his lips. he quickly retracts his hand, starting to take a step back so he could give clay space. but the blond looks up, alarm evident in his eyes._

_‘no, i like it. i’m just not used to it.’_

_it was george’s turn to feel heat rise to his cheeks, especially when clay beckoned him back to his previous spot against the counter. he hesitantly complies, thoughts racing through his head as he made sure to not meet the blond’s gaze again._

he _brought that color to clay’s cheeks, a color he’s never seen on the blonde before._ he _made clay break eye contact, and clay was never one to shy away from the attention. clay wanted_ george _to be close, enjoying the boundary that the brunette had accidentally crossed? it was all so confusing._

_he can’t remember a time when the blond wasn’t some confident, charming college student who would get absorbed in any attention practically anyone would give him. how could it be so easy for george to break down those walls, completely stripping clay of his poised persona. could he do it again?_

_he felt clay’s eyes locked with his own as he wet a towel and brought it up to the blond’s lips. the color on his face dissolved and george found himself wanting to see clay flustered again by one if his actions._

_george finishes dealing with clay’s nosebleed and finds himself moving without thinking, once again. he had moved from his spot between clay’s legs, collecting the blooded tissues and tossing them in a plastic bag. clay was about to hop off the counter when george stops him, placing a hand on his shoulder and pushing him back to where he was sitting. he takes his previous spot and lifts his other hand to clay’s face, brushing past his neck before coming in contact with the point of his chin. he tilted the blond’s head up, eyes trained on his nose. it was an act, of course, and all worth it when a small blush sparked on his cheeks._

_he wondered how far he could go._

_he leaned in, their faces a mere inch apart. clay pursed his lips and george could feel the blond’s eyes scanning his face. it was uncomfortable, but george longed for the color on clay’s cheeks to deepen. he slid his hand to trace clay’s jaw line, letting it cup his cheek. he started to massage his thumb into clay’s heated skin as the flush spread down his neck._

_george felt something stir in his chest and his own face heat up, barely opening his mouth as he spoke. ‘what happened.’_

_clay shifted his position on the counter, his knee pressing against george’s hip - and staying there. it sparked another foreign feeling. impulse? confidence? it urged his eyes to travel up the face before him, meeting the pools of green that were already focussed on his own. clay squinted as something seemed to click and he raised his eyebrows, a smiled tugging at his lips._

_‘what are you doing, george?’_

_the brunette dropped his eyes and pulled his hand back, stepping away to leave the suddenly tiny bathroom. clay laughed as george ran a hand through his hair, sliding of the counter and slinging an arm around him as they shuffled back to the couch. to george’s disappointment, clay seemed to have gained his composure, leaning over to mutter something in george’s ear._

_‘i didn’t lie, you know. i liked it.’_

_a shiver climbed george’s spine as he pulled away, slumping back into the couch and keeping his eyes glued to the tv. clay’s flirtatious personality must have returned as well, leaving george in a flustered mess after the words escaped the blond's lips._

clay’s flustered feelings stuck out like a sore thumb. they were so shy and timid compared to his usual confident persona. george always found it intriguing, and always found himself wanting more. he wasn’t sure why, but he would jump on the opportunity to bring a blush to the blond’s face in a moment's notice.

now he stared at his best friend, watching as the pink blended back into his normal skin tone. clay let out a shaky breath, standing up and offering a hand to george.

“that was close, just landed on the wrong part of the board. unlucky.”

george nodded, gripping the blond’s hand and pulling himself up off the concrete. he grabbed his board and they wandered back towards their group, keeping a comfortable distance between themselves.

the sun was fully set as karl went on about some football game him and nick went to. tommy cleared his throat, apparently asking permission to interrupt karl’s ‘interesting’ story. the circle falls silent as the blond looks around, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“alright boys, big party tomorrow night. some colleger you collegers probably know is hosting.”

alex laughs, “tommy, how the fuck do you know anyone in college besides us?”

“big q, do not ask questions. i have my ways.”

they didn’t know tommy's said ‘colleger’, but were down for a party regardless. free alcohol and music, it didn’t get much better than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- summary -  
> clay and george end up in an intimate position at the skatepark, sending clay into a rare flustered state. george thinks back to the first time he's seen clay like this, flashing back to a story about a nosebleed and unexpected blushes. (end of flashback). tommy mentions a party the following night, everyone agreeing to go.
> 
> yayayay i liked writing this one. definitely a favorite, also pretty long compared to the other chapters. anyway, who was gonna tell me it's spelt 'blond' and not 'blonde.' brb fixing all the 'blonds' now o_o


	7. english>math

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tommy's a party animal? no, but he does miss when george was one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good news: i wrote three chapters over the weekend. bad news: my writers block is SO BAD right now. it's also finals week, and i got a 49 on my math quiz :/ update schedule will probably be once a week, give or take. i'll try to write longer chapters :))))) enjoy this TOMMY POV!!! this was funny to write, i hope you enjoy :D

tommy pov

it felt as if time were frozen, filling the stale air with an uneasy silence. papers shuffled and pencils scratched against the hard surface of the evenly spaced desks throughout the classroom. the florescent lights that formed a grid on the ceiling made a strange noise, buzzing in tommy's ears similar to bees. he had his knee pulled up to his chest, giving him access to mess with the tattered shoelace that hung loosely from the dirty sneaker that barely clung to his foot. he was concentrated on a problem, a math problem, that seemed to have no answer. _we didn't even learn this, stupid dickhead teacher._

other students were letting out sighs, running stressed hands through their hair every so often. tubbo sat next to him, already done with the exam that lay before him. he may struggle with words, but the brunette was exceedingly gifted at calculating numbers and variables. tommy wasn't sure how he did it, but it must be the same difference as tubbo questioning tommy's way with words. they really were polar opposites, somehow fitting together like two pieces of the same puzzle.

it baffled most people who met them. how could someone so quiet and sweet be friends with someone so aggressive and opinionated? how did they get along so well with their contradicting personalities? these said questions were always forgotten, letting the dissimilar duo go on about their careless high school lives.

now he sat, staring at the singular column of bubbles that didn't have an answer. frustrated, he grips his pencil and scribbles in the _c_ bubble, not caring if it was correct or not. he didn't care for math, anyway. he wanted to do something with his above average writing skills, not particularly fond of one occupation compared to another. he'd figure it out later, planning on taking a english major when he reached college and going from there.

the bell sounds, sending a small shake through tommy's body from the sudden high-pitched ring. he grips the strap of his bag, lifting it off the ground and onto his shoulders.

"well, that was a fun test."

tommy is met with auburn eyes when he tilts his head towards the voice.

"no, tubbo, that was actually a pretty shitty test."

"oh, come on tommy, it wasn't that bad. easier than english anyway." tubbo frowns at the thought, flashes of his last english grade plaguing his thoughts.

"okay well, i want to leave. where's ranboo." they dropped their exams near the front, strolling towards their connected lockers that sat down the hall.

as if on cue, the tall senior rounded the corner, face buried in his phone.

"ranboo, finally dude. you take forever sometimes." the dirty blond glances up, a smile set on his face when he recognizes who was speaking.

"i'm not even late, i came here right after the bell rang." tommy shakes his head, not believing ranboo's excuse. they exited the crowded hallway, shuffling towards the street to start the small trek towards the neighboring college.

ranboo and clay worked at the shop today. tommy's always thought this pair was fun to mess with, both easily getting annoyed by his usual unfiltered thoughts. they'd never stay mad, eventually laughing when tommy would say something especially idiotic.

the ride was short, arriving at the college as a steady flow of students strolled out of the assortment of buildings. a tall blond and short brunette could be spotted amidst the crowd. _the stupid blond and even stupider brunette._

"hello, dickhead." he greets clay as the pair approached. he then nodded towards the brunette and smirked, "other dickhead."

they brushed him off and urged the small group to get going, not wanted to be late to the shop.

the shift today was new, starting in the afternoon and ending, quite literally, in the middle of the night. he wasn’t sure how ranboo kept up, working these irregular shifts and managing good grades as a high schooler simultaneously. it was impressive, to say the least, and tommy would openly admit that.

the other college students he wasn’t too worried about. they’re classes somehow fit around the work schedule, allowing them to sleep during whatever free times they came across throughout the day.

on occasion, one of the older workers would let ranboo leave early so he could do homework or get some much needed sleep. ‘one of the older workers’ usually meant clay, the blond who was the fondest of the newly introduced high schooler. tommy could worry about clay having to work the night shifts alone, but he knew better.

george was always there, always there for clay’s shifts.

tommy thinks back to all the times he left the shop with tubbo, waving a goodbye to the blond behind the counter and the brunette who sat across from him. he was never allowed to stay for the night shift, the curfew his parents enforced restraining him from doing so, but he always tried to check in early the next morning before the lengthy shift ended …

… and every time he did, the brunette would still be there.

this just added to the confusing relationship spiraling between the two. tommy would try to comprehend, giving up after he compared clay and george to him and tubbo. the thing was, it just didn’t compare, and he wasn’t sure why.

the shop was empty today, a couple of teenagers loitering around one of the back tables. clay and ranboo replaced the previous shop workers, throwing aprons over their heads and tying the string loosely around their waists.

tommy thought they looked stupid, and he never kept that a secret. they would always tell him off, claiming it’s worth it for the small amount of money they received.

tommy’s mind whirled. the party was tonight. he was waiting in anticipation, craving a decent party after the last let-down he attended. high school parties were weak, consisting of light alcohol and some trap music that was worthy of bursting eardrums. he had left early, preferring to get ice cream with tubbo instead of wasting his time with some light-weight and sweaty teenagers from his class. tonight, however, he was attending a college party, hopefully one with better quality alcohol and music. some girls would be nice also.

“so, clay, are you ready for the party tonight,” he states more than asks. the blond glances up from his conversation with george in annoyance, seemingly upset that tommy cut into their conversation.

“sure tommy, if that’s what you want to think.”

tommy hums in response as he gazes upon the pair, watching as clay whispers something to george, forcing him to blush. _what is up with those two._

“are you even going - don’t you have to work here?” tommy twists his face in confusion. him and ranboo did have to work until, like, two in the morning or something. clay glances up again, brows furrowed in thought.

“we got people to take over our shift - right, ranboo? you asked them, right?”

the senior turns around from the steaming coffee machine, “mhm, yea. i called in the next shift’s workers to come in early. we just owe them the time at some point, you know.”

clay nods and looks at tommy with a knowing look. it speaks volumes, seeming to scream _don’t talk to me again when i’m talking to george_.

tommy reluctantly complies, not even muttering a word to the tall blond throughout the afternoon.

they didn’t lie - two people tommy didn’t recognize entered the shop just as the sun was setting. they nodded towards the current workers, slipping on similar aprons as they began their shift. clay and ranboo smiled, thanking them for covering while they ‘had something important to get to.’ tommy rolls his eyes, slipping away from the counter and out of the shop.

the night was still, the local subway rolling beneath them. it was a trip - him standing directly over the train and not being able to see it. tubbo joins him as they stare at the weak sunset, only displaying blue and yellow hues. the city lights begin to shine through transparent windows, slowly lighting up their dim surroundings. tommy loved this time of the day. the air was cool, the city was glowing, the streets were empty. he could go anywhere without restraint, do anything and disregard any previous rules. he felt free.

they drop their boards, the sound of wheels on the uneven concrete resembling to sweet melodies that could be added to the background of a song. the city may look beautiful at this time, but it sounded beautiful as well. it was silent, skateboards were scraping against the ground and cars were speeding by on a nearby street. like before, the subway could be heard from beneath the group every so often.

they enter a familiar neighborhood - _definitely been to a party here before_ \- and glided around each curve of the street with ease, following clay who was navigating their way to the house. music could be heard, blaring from somewhere nearby. they must be close.

he glances to his left and spots clay’s favorite brunette. he was rolling swiftly next to tommy, head tilted towards a glowing screen in his hands. tommy would never admit it, but george had style - or, style that tommy had grown to like. it was simple, crewnecks over trousers, maybe a collard shirt beneath if he felt like adding a little something. slowly, the blond began to add these articles into his own clothing cycle, raising suspicion from the similar dressing burnette. he would deny it, claiming he never noticed how george dressed. he did, obviously, but didn’t want to be humbled more than he already felt. to be fair, clay had sported a few of these outfits before, whether he came up with them on his own or was in the same place as tommy, he would never know.

“so, george, are you gonna get as dunk as last time? i recall clay having t-”

tommy is cut off by george’s embarrassed shushes, reaching over and shoving the senior on his board. he swerves slightly, quickly gathering his balance and turning back to george. “oh, i remember it so clearly, for i was not nearly as drunk as you were that night, gogy.” tommy’s accent is heavy as he erupts in a fit of giggles, watching as george’s face twists up in disgust.

someone was staring. he lifts his gaze and is met with a pair of jade green eyes, peering over with amusement as he glided near the front of the group. tommy can’t help but laugh, nearly falling off his board when doing so. “see - george - even clay remembers,” he chokes out.

the blond at the front chuckles, shaking his head and turning away. tommy steals a glance at george, who is red in the face and at a loss for words. his mouth hung open and he crossed his arms, mumbling something as he steers his board away from tommy.

tommy wasn’t lying. george had drank too much that night - probably more than he intended - and he ended up clingy onto clay like there was no tomorrow. clay looked amused by it, all flushed in the face from the alcohol he had been nursing throughout the night - well, that was what tommy assumed. the blond took george home after a while, bringing back stories the next morning of a nasty hangover that plagued the brunette who was still passed out on his couch.

george flushed with embarrassment whenever someone brought it up, and hasn’t even drank enough at a party to feel a hangover the next morning since then. the group was disappointed by his decisions - solely because they’ve grown fond of the intoxicated side of george - the one who would willingly play strip pong, would voluntarily flirt with clay, would push his way through the drunken crowd and dance with girls he didn’t know. george was always so uptight and guarded, but when alcohol began to carelessly flow down his throat, he loosened up, let go of his composure and had a good time. tommy personally missed this, always pairing with george when he was drunk for beer pong, and always winning when george somehow hit every shot. to say the least, him and george made a relatively good duo at some of the most hectic parties.

music grew closer as they were submerged deeper into the neighborhood. cars along the sides of the street began to scatter a bit as a result of rushed or already drunk parking. clay points to the left and everyone follows, pulling up to a fairly large house flashing bright lights through each window. the music was deafening, and tommy liked it. _much better than the high school parties._

they entered the vibrating house, the stench of sweaty bodies and spilt alcohol contaminating the air that swirled around, stuffy and warm. tommy made a beeline for the alcohol, arriving at an unstable table and cracking open the first can he reaches. he downs half of it, squinting at the burning sensation that was sprinkled down his throat. his eyes glaze over as he sways to the music, immediately relaxing before the alcohol even kicks in. he pushes through the crowd and finds who he subconsciously began searching for.

“hey! tubbo! what’s up!” he has to shout over the music, but the brunette glances up and smiles.

“already tipsy, tommy, really? you haven’t even finished that!” he points at the green can in his hand, laughing as the blond opens his mouth in protest.

“oh - shut up, tubbo! don’t be a bitch, just come grab more drinks with me!” tommy grips tubbo's arm and tugs him along, shoving past people who were more than drunk, stepping, once again, in front of a table that housed the alcohol.

tubbo was a lightweight, and tommy never let him have more than two or so drinks. they stood there, laughing at anything and everything, sipping on the foreign drinks that brought a pleasantly warm feeling to their chests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm trying to write a college au oneshot, but my writers block said no. this story seems to be coming along a little more naturally, so i'll stick with this for the time being. have a lovely day/night, au revoir!


	8. overflow of envy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they're both processing the same thoughts, drawing the same conclusions, longing for each other through the panic of a college party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY. i wrote this whole chapter, then hated how it was written, so rewrote in the span of a couple days. i'm gonna try to keep the rest of the chapters at this length, and i'll try to stick to the release schedule. well, enjoy whatever these two do in this chapter. they're making progress, i swear o7

george pov

the party was tiring. george tried to hold a conversation with the small group he had joined, but the current topic wasn’t all too compelling. a girl brushed a hand through her hair, going into _specific_ details about ‘last night’s sex’ with some stranger she found at a local bar. george had a sudden feeling of regret, wishing he had followed after tommy when the blond shoved a can of beer into his hand and sprinted off, calling back that he wanted to find tubbo to show him ‘the toilet that swirls in a different direction.’ tommy was a light-weight. anyone could bluntly say it without a trace of lie in their voice. it was amazing what two cans of beer could do to a poised and egotistical teenager.

the atmosphere in the buzzing house was - unique. george wasn’t comfortable, nor uncomfortable. time passed evenly and the air seemed to still, maintaining its unnatural warmth. his heart begins to beat faster, george chalking it up to the alcohol and intimate conversation he was taking a part in. his face twists in disgust as the girl comes across a fairly - _venereal_ interaction. she quickly glances at him and he masks a small smile, nodding along to her narrative.

niki and will had left earlier, the two being a prioritized option when it came to escaping the chaos of a party. will was never fond of large crowds or loud music, so the couple would frequently slip away in the early hours of the night to stay secluded within their apartment.

so, george scans the room, searching for the next best getaway.

nick and karl could be seen amidst the pool of people, moving against each other, swaying in sync to the beat of the music. no thoughts of interrupting them even dared to cross george’s mind. he, surprisingly, would prefer to listen to this girl’s porn than partake in nick and karl’s. on the opposite end of the room, tommy and tubbo were paired at the end of a table, a small crowd congregating around them as the blond aimed a ping pong ball towards a pyramid of plastic cups. alex could also be seen dragging some girl into a guest room. _definitely_ best to not ask questions.

george presses his lips together, slowly swirling his drink when he realizes he doesn’t recognize anyone else in the room. he considers simply excusing himself, but dismissing the idea when someone places their hands on his shoulders.

“you good?”

george exhales in surprise, quickly swiveling his head to meet a pair of emerald eyes. a pair of familiar emerald eyes. _clay’s_ emerald eyes. the blond flashes a smile, that fading into confusion as he catches a bit of the _much_ too drawn out story. he lets out a breathy chuckle as he moves his hand to the inside of george’s elbow, pulling him away from the odd assortment of people.

they collapse onto a white, weathered couch that was stained with - george didn’t even want to know. he leaned against the end, drawing his knees to his chest as clay settles beside him.

george can feel the blond’s stare, choosing to focus on the wooden planks that lined the floor instead of the piercing pools of green that were trained on him. that is, until the owner of the pools of green clears his throat.

“i didn’t know you were into that, george.” the smirk was clear as day, no need to even take a glance at his face. so george doesn’t.

“i don’t, clay, i was looking for someone to walk to -” he’s interrupted by a fit of giggles. “shut up,” george grumbles, frowning as the blond fought the smile that tugged at his lips.

“i’m just joking, george. i was watching from over there,” he points to the alcohol table tommy had grown quite fond of, “and, dude, you looked like you were gonna puke, or something, so i walked over and -”

he wheezes, a smile plastered onto his face as he sputters out the last words, “and - that girl was talking about _sex_ she just had.” clay doubles over, face flushed as he rapidly breaths in, trying his best to regain his composure. george furrows his eyebrows, burying his face in the crook of his elbow to hide from the blond that somehow found so much amusement in his situation. after clay stops rambling on about how gross the girl was, he finally shifts and lifts a hand to rest on george’s shoulder.

“george - george, look at me.”

george hesitantly peeks from over his arm, uncut hair falling into his line of vision. clay grins, pushing the strands back with his other hand in a swift motion. he rests that hand on george’s forehead, leaning in as george adverts his previous gaze. “it’s ok, george. i saved you from the awkward sex talk that you _somehow_ couldn’t escape.” despite the airy giggle that passes through the blond’s lips, he was being genuine. george could see that, and deeply appreciated it, knowing he would be still be stuck in _that_ talk if clay hadn’t intervened.

that’s when they are interrupted. an unfamiliar, shrill voice pierces through the air as clay’s previous smile slides into a frown. he furrows his eyebrows and tilts his head, silently observing the girl that stood before them. she flashes a smile, ignoring the unwelcome face clay returned.

“hey, clay, right? i think we have - uh, math together?”

george pulls away from clay’s touch, slowly folding back into himself as the girl seats herself between the two. her thighs pressed uncomfortably against george’s, the smell of cheap perfume clouding the air. she faces clay completely, placing light touches along his arms and chest as she whispers flirtatious compliments laced with suggestive phrases.

the atmosphere drastically shifts, dragging george from a state of content to a world of discomfort. the temperature suddenly increases, more people seemed to be flooding into the confined room, and the music was pounding into george’s skull, each base drop sending a shudder through his spine. beads of sweat began to pool around his forehead, the condensation dripping from his cup forcing the canvas of his pants to cling to his skin. he shifts from his spot, trying to erase the interaction occurring beside him from his memory.

taking hasty swigs from his opened beer, trying to escape unnoticed, he slides from his seat, dashing around the drunken partygoers and making his way towards the best source of distraction.

people bumped into him and spilled their drinks, mumbling apologies as the music transitioned into an unrecognizable beat. the can he was holding felt light, the previous liquid he could swirl to pass time - gone. he arrives at a weathered doorframe, stepping into a dimly lit room scattered with empty glasses and plastic cups. spotting the desired distraction, he shuffles through the discarded litter and admires the satisfying sparkle that follows the crisp crack of a new beer being opened. he was past his usual limit, brushing off whatever care he had left as he stared at the tiles of the retro kitchen.

something is tossed into his back, falling onto the floor with an echoing clatter. “dude, isn’t that your third?”

george smiles, turning to lean against the icy counter. lifting the red can to his lips, he flips off the observer and precedes to down the can in one go. crushing it with one hand, he tosses it back to the gawking senior, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “my fourth, if you must know. turning into my mum now, are you, ranboo?”

“no, no. just after last time, y’know, i didn’t think you would be drinking more than, like, three again.” ranboo shyly smiles, strolling across the room and hopping onto the counter next to george. he reaches for another can, pausing when george passes a quizzical look.

“hm, i’ll be fine. and how many drink have you had tonight, mr. ‘six-foot-six in high school’?”

george was thrown off by a tipsy feeling that surged from his chest, soberness scarce and hard to find through his mess of thoughts. however, the responsibility of monitoring the senior and his drink count shone through, highlighting itself amongst the wide variety of feelings and emotions that suddenly made an appearance in george’s mind.

ranboo flashed an innocent smile, “only one, _if you must know_. i’ll tap out at two, george, i have work tomorrow, anyway. quit worrying.”

george nodded, adverting his gaze and beginning to take mindless sips from the cheap tasting beer in his grip. ranboo cracked open his own, a stale silence taking place in the secluded kitchen. small talk came naturally, the alcohol coursing through george’s system releasing the tension from his shoulders and slackening his jaw as words tumbled past his lips. ranboo watched with amusement, only seeing george in this state once before. with a curious look, the dirty blond slowly began to hint at a rather, _delicate_ topic for george.

aimlessly scrolling through his phone, ranboo cautiously glances at the brunet, “hey, george, um, where’s clay? aren’t you two usually, like, inseparable at these things?”

george stiffens, setting down his (fifth) drink, turning to glare at ranboo. “i wouldn’t know. probably fucking some girl in one of those bedrooms down the hall.”

the senior’s eyes widen, a look of shock setting on his face. george saw a glint of _something_ in his eyes, a flash of curiosity, a flash of determination. the brunet’s thoughts were swaying, heavily influenced by the booze that flowed through his body, but one thing was clear as day: he would not be discussing clay’s position of being pressed up against some girl with _ranboo_. he would not be discussing it with anyone, if he were to be honest. there really was nothing to discuss.

but, ranboo pushed. “fucking who, george? is that why you’re drinking all of a sudden, ‘cause clay dragged some girl into a bedroom?”

the brunet rolls his eyes, shutting them for a moment as he tries to piece together an understandable response. the words were never arranged, floating across his eye lids as if they were dancing to the beat of the music. he rests a palm on the center of his forehead, letting out a sigh as he imagines that touch were clay’s.

 _no_.

the thought of responding soon dissolves, george settling on nursing a new beer as he longed for a stronger buzz than the one he felt. ranboo sighed from the counter, taking a deep swig from his dented drink.

the night rolled on, george finishing beer after beer, soon loosing count as his body called out for a taste of excitement. he was dragged by a tall blond - tommy - to a table that housed two pyramids of red plastic cups. tommy was ecstatic, calling out that his ‘pong brother’ was back, cheering as george stumbled around in his drunken state.

as per usual, george never missed a shot. these cups stored a stronger liquid, leaving a burning sensation as george sloppily threw his head back and the booze spilled into his mouth. a small crowd gathered, throwing curses when the opposing teamed missed and letting out shouts of victory when george’s team scored. george was never aware, but a certain blond was a part of this crowd, keeping a watchful eye on the brunet that had suddenly disappeared from earlier.

_______________________________________________________

music was blaring. people were dancing. lights were flashing. george was experiencing it all, submerged in the center of a bustling crowd, moving with rhythm to the music. he felt someone pull him close, moving their hips against his. he obliged and floated towards the touch, not bothering to glance at who it was.

the night had been moving in and out with flashes. george found himself by the beer pong table at some points, inside with the crowd at others. during a wild game of - some drinking game, george was nearly thrown into the pool, overly prepared for a frigid chill to engulf his body. alex - _when the hell did alex get here?_ \- stopped the whole ordeal before anyone hit the water, dragging george away as he muttered curses about how ‘this idiot did stupid things when he got this fucked up.’

now, george felt himself being pulled out of the crowd, clumsily stumbling against people who were dancing through their buzz. he had a giddy smile plastered across his face, finally getting a decent look at the girl who had a tight grip on his arm. she had a dangerous look in her eyes, hurriedly urging george towards one of the vacant bedrooms down the hall. he raises his eyebrow, pausing her before they could escape from the reality of the party. she let out a soft gasp as george pushes her against the wall, connecting their lips with hungry determination. his lips moved sloppily and without thought, his hands holding a loose grip on her waist. she bit back, forcing her way into george’s mouth. he smiles into the force, suddenly surprised when a hand pulls him back by his shoulder.

he turns around, a light pant circulating in and out of his lips as he separates from the stranger he had pinned against the wall. a shock floods his senses when he recognizes the blond towering above him, staring intently at george with concerned eyes.

george furrows his eyebrows, “clay, what the fuck.”

the blond bites the inside of his cheek, leaning over to whisper his response into george’s ear. “george, you’re drunk, just - come with me, ok?”

“clay - i’m not, just let me go -” a lie. george knew he was drunk, more than drunk if he could be, but the image of clay pressed against that girl - _no_. he could not recognize the strange feeling that bubbled in his chest when he thought of the image - of clay pushing a foreign girl against a wall and kissing her senseless. he could not imagine clay crawling on top of her while they collapsed onto a bed, the door slammed shut and locked behind them. he couldn’t, and didn’t, want to imagine it.

it doesn’t help when clay pushes, securing a firm grip on the inside of george’s elbow and tugging him along as they exit the confined hallway. “george, you’ve had like, ten drinks or something. just let me take you home.”

george’s movements blend together and the ground begins to sway, george moving along with it. he trips, sliding against the wall. clay lifts him up, snaking an arm around his waist to ensure the brunet’s balance. george gives in, allowing clay to guide him outside into the chilling night air. “where are we going exactly? it’s not like you have a car, idiot.”

clay chuckles, “alex’s trusting me with his car for once, so long as i don’t crash it.”

george hums, closing his eyes as his environment melts into something calmer, something more collected. clay leads him down the porch steps, unlocking a car as they shuffle across the dewy grass. the door is opened and george is seated on a dense cushion, a fast food aroma swirling about in the air.

clay slides into the drivers seat, his face contorting in disgust when the door shuts behind him, “holy shit - alex needs to clean his car or something. invest in an air freshener _at least_.”

george chuckles at this, tilting his head back as he releases a prolonged groan from the aches that blossom, well, _everywhere_. the car shudders to life beneath him, slowly drifting away from its parked position.

the air is tense as they glide through the unfamiliar neighborhood. george expected it, but when the destined question is eventually surfaced, he sinks into his seat and hides his face out of pure embarrassment.

“george, i know you’re like, your own person and all, but why? you haven’t drunk that much since - _that_ party.”

when did clay ever mention that party? george recalls him telling people off whenever they used it against him, never even thinking of bringing it up himself. heat rushes past the brunet’s cheeks. answering the question was near impossible. he didn’t know the answer himself, and sure as hell wasn’t admitting to clay that it may have been the fact that the blond ditched george to screw some girl he had just met.

george settles for a shrug, drawing his knees in to his chest as he hugs himself through the ride. he felt small and disconnected, suffocating from the pile of confusing feelings and emotions that were foreign to his mind.

_______________________________________________________

POV SWAP - CLAY

george just walked away. he stood up, without hesitation, and sauntered off, like he didn’t care that clay was being forced into talking to _whoever_ this was. clay was annoyed, to say the least. annoyed that this girl seated herself between him and george, breaking their previous close proximity. annoyed that george would just leave, not caring that clay was left in solitude to deal with this drunk, and probably high, girl. annoyed that he wasn’t touching george anymore, no longer being able to have an arm draped across the brunet’s end of the couch, or a hand tangled in his hair.

but above all, he was annoyed with himself.

he should be able to sort through his feelings, decipher these new emotions that have always been present, simply bolding over the past year. he should be able to accept whatever was going on in his head, allow himself to feel the way he feels.

but he couldn’t.

some invisible force was holding him back, constantly whispering words of discouragement in the back of his head. _he doesn’t like you like that_ , _it will ruin your friendship_ \- or worst of all, _you aren’t good enough for him_. they tore him up from the inside out, shredding any ounce of hope that the brunet he so fondly cared for would ever reciprocate those feelings.

so when he walked away, not looking back as he submerged himself into the dancing crowd, it broke clay again. he was frozen on that couch, sweet compliments flowing into his ears and intimate touches being placed across his body. he wished they were from george. he turned to give a disgusted look, but was met with puckered lips and half lidded eyes slowly leaning in. clay almost takes the chance - the chance to escape these intruding feelings of fondness and pollute his senses with something _normal_ , something he’s done before.

but he can’t.

he stands abruptly. the girl lets out a whine from behind and beckons him back on the couch, a _very_ ineffective seductive look set on her face. he grimaces, setting off through the crowd in search of a place to think, a place to collect himself.

the bathroom was empty upon arrival, allowing clay to collapse onto the closed toilet and rest his head onto open hands. drawing in a breath, he closes his eyes, and _thinks_.

george.

his small figure, pink lips, scattered freckles, hesitant eyes, smooth skin. clay wanted it, he wanted it all. he just couldn’t figure out _why_.

clay thrived at the electricity that coursed through his body when they touched. he longed for the sudden and unexpected eye contacts. he flourished when he was the reason behind george’s flushed face, the reason behind his occasional flustered state. he was vivid when he was anywhere near the boy, constantly craving his attention and admiration. but why him?

why couldn’t someone else - one of the girls who swooned over him at parties, or silently stared as he kept to himself at public gatherings - fulfil these needs? why couldn’t he kiss the stranger who couldn’t keep their hands off of him, who was begging for clay’s attention and touch?

and why did he feel guilty when he did flirt back?

it was all too much, too overwhelming, threatening to send clay into a spiralling tsunami of confusion and uncertainty.

he jumps at a sound from outside, a thud against the door and the shaking of the metal door handle. he stands from the toilet, doing his best to relax his face as he reaches for the door, not entirely sure of what he would be finding on the other side. he twists the knob with a click, pushing it forward and scanning for the source of the noise. he hears it to his left, soft pants and light groans. he audibly sighs and shoves the door farther open, allowing the pair of drunken strangers to hastily push into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind them.

he’s met with the party, loud music and drunk college students crowding the confined space. time was moving at an agonizing pace, seconds ticking by as if they were minutes, minutes passing by as if they were hours. clay finds himself subconsciously following the brunet, the one he couldn’t seem to get off his mind. the said brunet was utterly wasted, a surprise considering what happened at _that_ party. clay wouldn’t be bothered by george’s state, but only if he were to act like he did that one night, keeping a firm grip on clay’s bicep and showering him with unfiltered compliments. but tonight, that simply wasn’t the case.

george seemed to spread himself around, participating in games of beer pong, dancing on girls in the densest parts of crowds, eventually being dragged off with a look of mischief in his eye. clay knew that look, sporting it himself on given occasions. but watching george reflect it as he was touching some girl, some stranger he had never met before, sparked something. clay felt - nervous? embarrassed? jealous?

all of it.

he moves upon instinct, dragging himself across the room towards george and the girl he was _pinning_ against the wall, their lips moving unnaturally and in a disoriented pattern. it was sickening, somehow bringing a rush of heat to clay’s neck as he gingerly places a hand on the brunet’s shoulder and tugs him away from the girl. he cowards when george gives him a dangerous look, one that he wasn’t familiar with. it was a look of threat, daring clay to try to interrupt him again.

it soon evaporates after a few words were exchanged, the pair winding up in alex’s over-used car, resting in the parking lot of a fast food joint neither were familiar with. clay sighs, glancing at the flustered brunet who was thoroughly avoiding any questions regarding tonight’s party.

“george, have you even eaten yet.”

the brunet furrows his brow, then shakes his head, slouching back into his seat as clay curses under his breath. “were you _seriously_ drinking on an empty stomach, idiot. you’re gonna like, pass out on me or something.” he’s met with silence, the brunet barely shifting from his folded position in the passenger seat. clay rubs his forehead, opening his door and mumbling a small ‘i’ll be back’ as he steps out into the dimly lit parking lot.

he enters the shop, barely skimming over the menu as he orders a burger and water, loitering nearby as he listens to the chatter of the current workers. he scrolls idly through his phone, shooting out a couple texts to let people know that he had taken george home.

his number is soon called out and he exits the shop with a greasy bag hanging from his hand. he crosses the vacant parking lot, eventually approaching alex’s sunburnt car. what he fails to notice is the unoccupied passenger seat, an empty space where a small brunet should be seated.

he’s paralyzed where he stands as he whips his head around, searching for the missing brunet. with a jagged breath, he circles the car, eyes wide with worry as he darts them about to scan the distant areas of the parking lot.

a settled feeling flitters in his stomach as he hears gags, followed by heavy gasps and a groan. _that idiot_.

he spots a figure hunched over a planter, turning and slouching against the rough cement as he draws in a shaky breath. clay tilts his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose as the tension his body previously held dissolves. he crouches by the boy, resting a hand on his shoulder and shifting to lean next to him against the planter.

in a hushed voice, he turns to george, “are you ok?”

the brunet mumbles something incoherent, his body falling limp as he leans into clay, cheek resting on the blond’s shoulder and arms wrapped around his middle. _exactly where they should be._

clay winces at george’s state, running a gentle hand through his auburn strands at an easing pace. the world felt immense, everything circulating around the blond and brunet, their shallow breaths mingling together in the chilled air. clay would honestly have it no other way. he wouldn't mind spending every night like this, frigid air biting into his skin as a cute brunet was pressed against his side. the moment felt surreal, and oddly resembled a ‘once in a life time’ interaction. he wishes it wasn’t.

a raspy voice fills the air, the brunet turning to face in the opposite direction as he spoke. “did you have fun, clay?”

“have fun with what?”

“fucking that girl.”

 _what_. clay’s breath hitches, his eyebrows lifting and eyes widening. did george _really_ think he did _anything_ with that girl, the one who reeked of cheap booze and strong perfume, the one who kept _touching_ clay despite his clear discomfort. was george _really_ that naive?

“george, is that why you were drinking so much? ‘cause you thought i was, what? screwing with some girl after you left?”

it pained him, but the brunet nodded, gingerly pulling away from clay entirely. the blond leaned forward, trying to catch whatever expression george displayed on his face, but he couldn’t, observing as the brunet buries his face into his hands, drawing his knees to his chest as a sniffle is muffled from beneath.

clay feels tears of his own threatening to spill over, shuffling closer to the brunet and wrapping his arms around whatever he could, resting his head on the fluff of brown hair that was disheveled from tonight’s party. “george, i didn’t. i swear. i pushed her off when you left and went to the bathroom. just - look at me, please.” george hesitantly lifts his head, eyes puffy and cheeks flushed. “george - i will literally stop talking to girls at parties for you if you want. they mean nothing to me, anyway.” a smile tugs at clay’s lips, “besides, i can just make out with you if i _really_ wanted.” the brunet groans at this, dipping his head and letting it rest against clay’s chest. they sit for a moment, light laughter filling the air as clay holds george in the middle of a foreign fast food restaurant parking lot, dim stars twinkling from above.

they eventually part, slowly settling into the short drive back to george’s apartment. the brunet attempts, and somewhat succeeds, at eating the fairly plain burger, only struggling to swallow during the first few bites.

light music drifts through the air as they pull into the apartment complex, clay taking a parking spot near the back entrance, closest to george’s suite. they slip into the night’s air, dragging themselves up the stairs, and shuffling through the weathered door of george’s apartment. clay immediately collapses onto a couch centered in the room, involuntarily reaching for the remote to scroll through whatever shows the local channels were broadcasting.

light footsteps could be heard from behind a closed door, slowly growing closer when the barrier is opened. it caught clay’s attention.

he gazes up and meets george’s eyes, but his green irises wander. the brunette stands before him, his porcelain skin exposed for a moment before he can pull a clean t-shirt over his head. his figure was slim, the baggy sweats he wore exposing a small portion of his lightly defined v-line. clay’s lungs deflate, his eyes trained on the skin that he never thought he’d see.

something buzzes from within the depths of his stomach. _butterflies_?

no, they were more demanding, more fierce. _dragonflies_.

his face goes pink, and it didn’t take george’s smug expression to know that.

“like what you see, clay?” george mumbles in a groggy voice, eyebrows arched in an agonizingly knowing way. he giggles when clay reaches for a pillow, shoving his face into it as he grumbles in protest, softening his posture and sinking farther into the couch. yes, he did like what he saw. no, he would never admit that, ever.

he finally shifts into a laying position, idly waiting as george busied himself in his bathroom, the faucet going on and off without a pattern. his mind stretches, images of george flashing before his eyes like the scenes of a movie. images of george wearing less, exposing himself, his skin, _more_. images of his face flushed, his lips glossy and swollen from being overly kissed. images of his auburn hair tousled about, tangled from -

george enters the room. clay shifts uncomfortably in his sweatpants.

the brunet carelessly leans against the end of the couch, lifting clays legs and sliding beneath them to sit. he flashes a _knowing_ smile, crawling over and laying partially on top of clay. the blond’s body goes rigid, george adjusting himself to fit against his stiff figure. under his breath, the brunet whispers, “jesus, clay, loosen up.”

how. how was he meant to loosen up when the _prettiest boy he knows_ , the one he was just _fantasizing_ about, was resting above him, their bodies connecting in unimaginable places. with an unsteady voice, clay glares at george. “are you still drunk?”

the brunet chuckles, his grip on clay tightening. “maybe.”

“well, what are you doing then, george?” clay tries to mask his nerves, tries to place a confident façade over his hesitant and shaken state.

george pushes. “mmm, i don’t know. i’m tired and you’re taking up the whole couch. so, you know, _compromise_.” he flutters his hand through the air as he completes his response, settling back down when a tense silence fills the space.

“oh- um, well, i can like, move if you want the couch -”

“- no. you’re warm.” clay lets a soft giggle escape his lips, nerves slowly dissolving into fondness as he loosely wraps an arm around the boy’s waist. his hand grazes something soft, something smooth. he retracts his hand, his head shooting up as a sliver of exposed skin peaks from beneath george’s gathered shirt. as if on cue, the brunet adjusts the fabric, smirking as he whispers, “there.”

clay hesitantly returns his hand, moving with caution, carful to not make the wrong move or disturb the boy above him. gripping his phone, he hovers it to the side of his face in hopes of distracting himself from the intimate placement george insisted on. he felt vulnerable, more vulnerable in this position with the brunet than any girl who’s ever been in his place.

he didn’t like it, but simultaneously craved for more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of a rollercoaster, i know. let me know what you think? also, suggestions for the story are more than welcome, my creativity has been plummeting lately :( hopefully see you next week!!! au revoir :)


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